Free I/P Watch Services

In addition to this news service and free ducational seminars, I also offer my clients free patent and trademark "watch services." Once a month I look at new filing and allowance information available on the Internet from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a long list of my client's competitors, and also for certain technological areas.

This proactive approach typically generates zero to three new matters each month for a large client that is then happy to foot the bill for services that will allow them to address problems before they turn into more-expensive lawsuits. It also helps to educate me and the client about the intellectual property issues facing their industry.

Of course, that type of education can be quite time-consuming. But, I have never met a client that wasn't just tickled pink to get something for nothing from their attorney, especially when it might help avoid a lawsuit that could otherwise call their managerial judgment into question with the boss.

When was the last time your intellectual property counsel did anything for free? If you can't answer that question, then maybe you need new counsel.